Childbirth Method Might Affect Sexual Health of New Mothers, Study Says
It's not unusual for new mothers to have some temporary sexual challenges after giving birth. It takes time for the body to heal. Hormones fluctuate, leading to vaginal dryness. And the energy needed to care for a newborn can make anyone feel too tired for sex.
But does the method of childbirth play a role in a new mother's sex life? It might, according to new research in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.
In a study of 269 new mothers, Italian scientists discovered that women who had given birth by operative vaginal delivery - with the help of forceps or vacuum extraction - tended to have more sexual problems than those who had had spontaneous vaginal deliveries or Caesarian section births.
Get the details here.
With Vaccination, HPV Rates are Dropping
The prevalence of HPV infections is decreasing, and experts think HPV vaccines might be a contributing factor.
Human papillomavirus - HPV - is a blanket term for over a hundred types of sexually-transmitted infections. Four of them in particular have been linked to genital warts as well as certain types of cancer, including cervical, anal, and penile cancer. Some head and neck cancers are also caused by HPV.
Scientists compared data from young women aged 14 to 34 during two periods: 2003-2006 and 2009-2012.
They discovered that prevalence rates for the four HPV types in question dropped 64% for women aged 14 to 19. For women between the ages of 20 and 24, the prevalence rate fell 34%.
Find out more.
|
